The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-30

little ones, 1hey sleep under the stoops in the
burned -out safe, in the wagons in the streets,
on the barges, wherever they can get board
to cover them, And IN the summer they sleep
all night long in the parks Their restitution
is well set forth by an incident A city
missionary asked one of them; "Where
is your homer Said he: 81 don't have no
home, sir.n "Well, where are your father
and mother" ''They are dead, sr.n Did
you ever hear of Jesus Christie mo, don't
think ever heard of Him. ''Did you ever
hear of Godf' "Yes, I've heard of God.
at night to say something over about that be-.
fore they go to sleep. Yes, sir, I've heard of
Him. Think of a conversation like that in
u Christian city
how many are waiting FOR you TO come out
IN the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ and
rescue them from the wretchedness herel Oh,
that the Church Of God had arms long
enough and hearts warm enough to take them
up! How many of them there are! As Twas
thinking of the subject this morning, it
seemed to me as though there was great
brink and that these little ones with
cut and torn feet We're coming on
toward il. And here is group OF
orphans o fathers and mothers, what do
YOU think of these fatherless and motherless
little ones. No hand at home to take care Of
their apparel, no heart TO pity them. Said one
little one, when the mother died: who will
take care of my clothes now?' The little ones
are thrown out in this great cold world. They
are shivering on the brink like lambs on the
verge of a precipice Does not your blood run
cold as they go over 1t:
And here is another group that come on to
ward the precipce, They are the children Of
besotted parents They are worse off than
orphans Look at that pale cheek; woe
bleached it. Look at that cash across the
forehead; the father struck it. Hear that
heart-piercing cry; drunken mothers
blasphemy. compelled 1t, And we
suffering, peeled and blistered ones,
we come to help YOU TOO latem cry thou
sands of voices. THE path we travel is
steep down, and we can't stop Too late!"
And we catch our breath and we make ter
rifle cutlery. 100 latel" is echoed from the
garnet to cellar, from the gin-shop and from
brothel. "Too late" 1t is too late, and they
go over.
Here is another group, an army OF
neglected children. They come on toward
the brink, and every time they step ten
thousand hearts break. The ground is red
with the blood of their feet. The air is heavy
with their groans Their ranks are being
filled up from all the houses of iniquity and
shame. Skeleton Despair pushes them on to-
ward the brink The death-knell has already
God hover like birds over the plunge
of cataract. While these chill
dren are on the brink they halt, and throw
mt their hands, and cry: "Helpl help" o
Church of God, will you help: Men and
women bought by the blood of the Son OF
God, will you helps while Christ cries from
the heavens: "Save them from going down
| am the ransom
stopped on the street and Just looked at
If Of
ever examined the faces of the neglected chill
dren Of the poori Other children have glad
ness in their faces. When a group of them
rush across the road, it seems as though a
spring gust had unloosened an orchard Of
apple blossoms. But these children of the
poor. There is but little ring in their laughter,
and it stops quick, as though some bitter
They do not skip or run up on the lumber
just for the pleasure Of leaping down. They
never bathed in the mountain stream. They
never waded in the brook for pebbles. They
never chased the butterfly across the lawn,
putting their hat right down where it was
just before. Childhood has been dashed out of
them. Want waved its wizard wand above the
manger of their birth, and withered leaves
are lying where God intended budding giant
of battle Once in while one Of these chill
dren gets out. Here is one, for instance. AT
ten years of age he is sent out by his parents,
who say to him: Here is a basket-now
go off and beg and steal The boy
Says. 81 can't steal.n They kick
him into corner. That night he puts his
swollen head into the straw; but voice
comes from heaven, saying: Courage, poor
boy, courage" Covering up his head from
the beastiality, and stopping his ears from
the cursing he gots on, better and better
He washes his face clean at the public by
drant. With a few pennies got at running
errands, he gets better coat. Rough
men, knowing that he comes from low
street, say: Back with you, you little
villain to the place where you came from
But that night the boy SAYS: "God help me
l can't go back and
mother flew at the cry Of
Lord responds from the he
poor boy, courage tTer
him position. After a. ~. -e....
clerk. Years pass on ant 'H .rs
Years pass on. The glory e-- n~rA'
Is on him. He comes into the firm. He goes
on from one business success to another. lie
| has achieved great fortune. He is the frieno
of the church of God, the friend of all sooc
| institutions, and one day he stands talking tt
| Commerce People say: do you know wit
that ISL Why, that is merchant prince
and he was born on Elm street But
| God says in regard TO him something
| better than that: s'These are they which
came out of great tribulation, ano
| had their robes washed and made white in th'
| blood of the Lamb" O, for some one L
write the history of boy heroes and girl hero
ines who have triumphed over want andstarv
alton. and filth and rags. Yea, the record
has already been made-nade by the hand o
| God: and when these shall come at last will
songs and rejoicing, it will take very broat
banner to hold the names of all the battle
fields on which they got tile victory.
Some years ago a roughly-cIad ragged DO,
came into my brothers office in New York
and said: Mr.. Talmage, lend me five dol
lars" Ny brother said "Who are youf
The boy replied: II am nobody. Lend M
| fivedolarsn ''What do You want TO do wit
five dollarsm "Well," the boy replied IN,
mother is sick and poor and | want to go int
the newspaper business, and shall get HON
for her, and will pay you back" Ny brothe
| gave him the five dollars of course, never ex
! pecting to see it again but he said: "When wi
| you pay it.n The boy said: 81 will pay it ii
six months, sir" Time went by and one da
a lad came into my brothers office, and said
'Theres your five dollars" 'What do 20
mean. What five dollars" inquired m
brother 'Don't you remember that boy
came in here six months ago and wanted TO BOZ
row five dollars to go into the newspape
| ", YES, oiS va
ladm "Yes,n he replied, II have got alon
nicely have got nice home for my mothe
she is sick yeti, and l am as well clothed a
you are, and there's your five dollars" O,ws
he not north savings Why that lad is wort
fifty such boys as ] have sometimes seen NOV
ing in elegant circles, never put to any US
for God or man Worth saving. go farthe
than that, and tell you they are nc
only worth saving, but they are being savec
One of these lads picked up from our street
and sent West by a benevolent society, wrot
East, saying: II am getting along first rat
am on probation in the Methodist Churci
shall be entered as a member the first {
next month / now teach Sunday-scho
class of eleven boys. get along first raj
with it. This is splendid country to make
living in. If the boys running around IL
street with a backing box on the
shoulder, or bundle of papers under the
arms, only knew what high old times we boy
nave out here, they wouldn't hesitate abo,
coming West, but come the first chance the
get" So some by one humane and Chri
tan visitation, and some by another, are b
ing rescued In one reform school throug
which two thousand of the little ones passe'
one thousand nine hundred and ninet,
five turned out well. In 9TH
words, only five Of the two thousar
turned out badly. There are thousan'
of them who, through Christian societie
have been transplanted to beautiful homes q
| -. Ala. lonI ,pJ fhara ata many 1pb